A fresh case of eviction is set to leave ninety families of various backgrounds and nationalities homeless next Tuesday in Arona, a municipality in southern Tenerife. The occupants are known as squatters and come from different countries, including Ukrainian refugees. For the past eight years, they have been residing in two buildings located at 8 and 10 Chasna Street in the Costa del Silencio area, near La Montaña Amarilla and the border with San Miguel de Abona. These buildings were constructed fifty years ago but were never completed or used, as reported.
The affected families are planning to come together and protest this Friday, March 8, with official permission, at the Los Cristianos Citizen Service offices. They aim to raise awareness about their situation and request at least one to two months’ time to pack up all their possessions.
Eloy Outerial Miniño, their spokesperson, informed Canarias Ahora that among the ninety families facing eviction, there are newborns, children, pregnant women, and elderly individuals who currently have no alternative housing. Consequently, their plan is to temporarily relocate to the beaches in the area. However, they are concerned about potential repercussions, especially regarding child custody, as they have been cautioned by the council.
Miniño stressed that the families will vacate the buildings peacefully on Tuesday, as agreed, despite being served a vague eviction notice just two weeks ago. The notice lacked specific recipient details and was issued under the claim of “taking possession” through the “execution of judicial title 18/2023,” with the property handover scheduled for 9:30 a.m on Tuesday, March 12.
These families resorted to occupying abandoned buildings due to their inability to afford rent or property purchase, particularly given the high real estate prices in the south of Tenerife. Over the past eight years, they have been adapting these properties to live in, lacking basic services like water and electricity. To cope, they have installed solar panels at a cost of between 1,000 and 3,000 euros per family, which they now risk losing without any certainty of reimbursement.
One of the buildings is reportedly affected by aluminosis, as confirmed by a 2021 municipal study. However, it is claimed that this condition does not impact all the occupied dwellings, and the specific circumstances of the eviction remain unclear, except for the owners’ intention to regain possession for redevelopment purposes.
Exploring Housing Alternatives
Ruth Martín, the Councilor for Social Services, expressed deep concern over this eviction, not due to legal or property rights considerations, but because of its potential social impact. Martín highlighted that “since we received the judicial notification, we have been striving to support these families and provide guidance towards finding sustainable solutions.”
Municipal services endeavour to provide shelter for vulnerable families
The regional government and council have been exploring housing solutions for these individuals since February 6, but have faced challenges due to the Islands’ severe housing crisis, which has reached critical levels.”
Martín outlines that on the upcoming Tuesday, municipal authorities will be closely monitoring the relocation of the minors to designated accommodations “as it is unacceptable for them to be without shelter. While their guardianship is not under threat, regulations prohibit them from sleeping on the streets or beaches, necessitating our intervention. Newborns will, of course, remain with their mothers.”
Expressing deep concern over the housing predicament, the councillor laments, “The hotels are fully booked due to tourism, leaving no viable options. We are encountering additional cases like these and witnessing shanty town scenarios that have resurfaced in the municipality and region after a prolonged absence.” Although the structural issues primarily impact building 10, there has been confusion linking it to building 8 as well. “I am constantly liaising with the tenants’ legal representative, some of whom are registered occupants, as we continue to seek resolutions.” Information suggests a minimum of 65 “residents”, but the councillor acknowledges the likelihood of a higher number, estimating around 90 families.
Eduardo Tavío, a member of the property-owning family (albeit, the buildings are owned by cousins), revealed that a report emphasizing the structural hazards was first issued by the town council in 2021, triggering subsequent legal actions. He highlights the evident dangers faced by the current residents and agrees with the council’s intervention in light of recent collapses in Los Cristianos and fire risks. Tavío stresses that this is not a standard squatting situation, describing it as akin to living in a cave with a collapse threat, warranting administrative action.
Regarding the future, he mentions the necessity of demolishing the structures as mandated by the court, without clarity on the land’s future use. “The final decision lies with my cousins,” he remarks.
Antonella Alioti, a former Podemos councillor in the Arona City Council, extends wholehearted support to these families and urges authorities to allow a two-month grace period for them to arrange their relocation effectively. She critiques the broader housing scenario in the town and the Island, finding it contradictory that affected individuals aren’t offered alternatives while plans are in place to develop a new city in El Mojón devoid of social housing provisions.
